DEAD-SEA - NATURAL OXYGEN ENRICHMENT AT LOW-ALTITUDE

Patients with advanced chronic obstructive lung disease often require oxygen supplementation, which has been shown to increase survival but requires a device such as an oxygen tank and tubing. The inspired part ial pressure of oxygen depends on barometric pressure, which is relate d directly to altitude. At the Dead Sea, located 402 m below sea level , the barometric pressure reaches 800 mm Hg, thus resulting in high in spired oxygen levels. We have taken this topographic advantage to stud y oxygen-dependent patients with advanced lung disease. We found signi ficant increases in arterial oxygen tension, exercise capacity, sleep oxygen saturation, and an improvement in quality of life while staying at the Dead Sea. This was found during both a short stay (1 week) as well as a longer stay (3 weeks). The improvement in exercise capacity persisted 2-3 weeks after leaving the area. We conclude that the low a ltitude at the Dead Sea can be of benefit to patients with advanced lu ng disease who are hypoxemic. The higher the altitude of the normal re sidence of the patient, the greater is the expected benefit of a sojou rn at the Dead Sea.